ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. drill — the tool
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. pop — soda
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bass — low music
  11. perch — the fish
  12. drill — army training
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bear — the animal
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. branch — a division
  19. track — a song
  20. track — a path
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. drill — a practice
  23. pop — to visit
  24. track — to keep track

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com